Being a photographer is seriously awesome. There are a bazillion reasons why, but I’ve compiled 54 really fantastic ones for your reading pleasure.

Now, why would I bother taking the time to write this massive list?

Well, maybe you’re just curious about photography, but aren’t sure if you should really dive into it. Fair warning, these reasons will totally convince you that photography is an amazing skill to develop. I’m sure of it.

Or perhaps you’re into photography already. This list is still for you! After you read all these reasons you’ll probably be even more inspired by this medium, and be itching to get out and shoot more! Who knows, maybe you’ll get an idea or two for a new photo project! I sure did!

Here’s the deal. I think everyone should get into photography. (Yes, everyone). You don’t ever have to do it professionally. That’s not what being a photographer means (you can read more about our thoughts on that here). Being a photographer just means you really love photography. And hopefully, after reading all of this, you’ll see that it can give you more than you ever imagined.

One last note before we jump in. These reasons aren’t all just made up off the top of my head. We actually just wrapped up a giveaway, and asked the question “What first got you interested in photography?”. With 250 responses we were able to get an amazing peek at what makes photography so special for lots of folks. So we read all the responses, took notes, and pulled out the common themes. That’s what makes up this list! So credit for all these awesome reasons goes to our fantastic readers. Thanks for sharing so openly everyone. You rock.